The Painted Serpent cucumber is not actually a cucumber at all, but rather a melon of the Cucumis melo species. Nevertheless, this delicious imposter will have your dinner guests raving about its tender sweetness and unique appearance. We love this variety for two reasons: 1. They're slender and long, so you can slice them up small without having to harvest a whole bunch of them and 2. When sliced, they mimic that fancy peeling technique we all want to do but never have time for. In fact, whenever we bring them to parties, I always feel the need to explain that they grow that way, lest someone think that I actually have it that together. I don't. Sometimes known as Striped Armenian cucumbers, Painted Cucumbers grow on wandering vines that can reach up to 8 feet in length, so plan on giving them plenty of space, or trellising. The cucumbers will grow up to 3 feet long but are best harvested at 12-18" long. If left on the ground, they will curve or take on an "S" shape, similar to a snake, as their name suggests. If you want straight ones, grow them vertically. Painted Serpent matures approximately 60-65 days after sowing. Each packet contains a minimum of 25 seeds.
